Past Orphan
by arkmj
Summary: Manticore Orhpanage has been shut down for 6 months & her brother has died 6 months before. Max is trying to escape her past while trying to deal with the present, but everything changes when someone unexpected shows up and turns everything inside out.
1. Manticore Orphanage

_Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons. _

**Summary: Manticore was never a secret military base, and there is no such thing as Transgenic super soldiers. Instead Manticore was an orphanage that had questionable ways of taking care of children. Max is a high school student, trying to escape her past, when someone unexpected shows up and turns everything inside out.**

**Past Orphan**

Orphan Manticore Orphanage Shut Down, less than six months ago that headline was everywhere. Yet, Max still sometimes was afraid everything would revert back to when Manticore Orphanage still was running. Letting out a deep sigh, she refolded the worn newspaper and re-placed it inside the old shoebox where she kept anything Manticore related stored. When replacing the paper, she picked up an old photograph.

Leaning back against her headboard, Max stared at the people in the picture. They were of her siblings, or her housing mates at the orphanage. It had seemed they had always been there, together, surviving the hellhole they called 'home.'

"Boo?" Looking up, Max saw her roommate and best friend Cindy looking at her worried. "Ya ok?"

"Yeah," she responded quietly, looking at the picture again. Walking over to the bed, Cindy crawled up close to Max and hugged the girl.

"You can't keep doin' this, ya know that." Max didn't respond. "Boo, don't be like him. Don't let them win." Cindy was right, but it was still hard not to think bout what happened and everything before that. "Ben wouldn't want you to be this way." With that Cindy got up from the bed, left Max alone. Once again, Cindy was right.

"Ben," Max whispered thinking back on her brother. They had been close at Manticore, closer to each other than with the rest of their siblings. They always seemed to be in their own world, escaping from the harsh reality they lived in.

When Max had been 10 years old, her and her siblings ran away from the orphanage. Shortly afterwards, they were separated and had no way of finding one another. Ben had been the first of her siblings she had seen.

FLASH BACK

"Welcome to Jam Pony, what can I do for you sir?" Normal asked the stranger. Looking at the bespectacled man, Ben raised an eyebrow. 'Strange.'

"_Yeah, I'm looking for someone, I was told she worked here. Max?" Ben asked hopefully, Normal didn't look pleased._

"_Whatever she did this time, I am not responsible for her and her actions. You can find missy-miss over there with the other miscreants." Pointing over his should, Normal walked away shaking his head and mumbling something about 'juvenile delinquents, and waste of time.'_

_Walking over to a group of teenagers, Ben immediately knew which one was his sister, "Maxie?" Max snapped her head up in shock. She hadn't heard that nickname since Manticore, and only one person called her that._

"_Ben?" It had to be. No one had those piercing hazel eyes and that shy like smile. Jumping from the ground, Max pounced her brother with a scream of excitement._

From that day on, the two were always together, and things were great. At least to Max they were, 5 months after finding each other, Max had learned the harsh truth. Ben was sick and suffering from a drug addiction, an addiction that he couldn't or wouldn't kick. For a month Max fought to save him, but like many had said: if he didn't want to be saved, she couldn't save him. Six months after finding one another, Max found Ben in alleyway behind their apartment, slumped against the wall and unresponsive. By time she got him to hospital, he was dead. "Self inflicted lethal dosage of multiple drugs injected into his system" had been the official cause of death.

After his funeral, Max had received multiple letters from her brother. All sent the day he over dosed. The first letter explained his reasons for what he did…Manticore. Manticore had caused him to kill himself. 6 months to the day, Manticore was brought down. Sighing again, Max replaced the picture in the box and closed it firmly. Firmly hiding the past again.


	2. Brown Paper Bags

_Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons._

Orphan Past

"ATTENTION!" The voice boomed throughout the large room. Immediately every occupant stood up straight, the sound of chairs scraping the floor echoed hauntingly into the rafters. The owner of the voice began to walk down the rows of the tables, taking in what was being served, who was eating, and how straight each person was.

"Who snuck into my office last night and planted this?" His voice was cold, colder than usual. In his out stretched hand was a brown paper bag with a stench emitting from it. Anyone close by restrained their gag reflexes as the smell reached the. "Anyone going to fess up? Or are you a coward and going have every single person punished for you stupidity!" No one moved. His cold eyes scanned every body in the room and nodded, as if deciding his next move. "Fine, TO THE FIELDS!"

"Max? Max! Hello!" Sketchy snapped his fingers, finally Max jerked and looked at him. "You ok, you spaced out." Nodding her head she looked back down at the brown bag sitting on the table in front of Sketchy. Lately it seemed the simplest thing would set off the nightmares. Simple things like a damned brown paper bag that didn't stink at all. But the sight, letting a shiver run down her spine, Max started to eat her sandwich. Sketchy studied his friend for a moment, he saw her face change when he had placed his lunch bag on the table, and the face she made when she gave another look before eating. He wanted to ask her what was wrong, but he knew Max well enough to know that if she didn't offer, don't bother to ask.

'Where is that girl!' Cindy thought running around the court yard looking for her best friend, she needed to tell her before someone else told her. Deciding she was probably by the huge oak, Cindy raced down the hill. Sure enough there was Max and Sketchy chatting and eating. "Max!" Max jumped slightly hearing her name almost screamed.

"What's wrong Cindy?" Sketchy asked taking in her huffing frame.

"Max," but before she get started, everything became out in the open.

"Holy shit!" Sketchy exclaimed seeing someone in the distance. Max snapped her attention to what Sketchy was looking at. Her jaw dropped. Cindy looked as well, and signed helplessly. "Max is that-" but Sketchy couldn't finish. He was into much of a shock.

"Max I was gonna try and tell ya," Cindy offered quietly.

"W-who is that?" Max asked shakily.

"That would be a new student here, his name is Alec, Alec McDowell."

"He looks like-"

"I know, Boo. That's his twin."

Max couldn't breath, she couldn't think. This couldn't be possible; he didn't have a twin. No, it wasn't possible, but the sight before he proved other wise. Standing up, as if in a trance, Max slowly made her way up to hill where she saw a lot of her peers having a similar reaction that Sketchy had. Many of the students were confused; Alec seemed confused by their reaction to him.


	3. Ben Who?

_Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons._

Alec was getting a little pissed off, no wait, that would be an understatement. He was pissed off, and only getting more at each passing wide eyed stare. The students here acted like they had never seen a new student before. The worse case had been when some black girl, very attractive, stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him. After a few moments she turned and ran the way she came, completely ignoring anyone around her. _'Maybe I can get her number after I properly introduce myself to her.' _He thought as he made his way out to the court yard. People were even worse out here, but before he could dwell on it he saw a movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning slightly he saw a petit girl around his age walking towards him, with a very dazed look in her eyes. The girl from before and a guy followed her.

Deciding it was time to introduce himself, he didn't quite get the chance. "Ben?"

"Who?" He asked confused, that seemed to snap her out of her trance.

"You look like someone I use to know." She almost whispered, breathing in a heavy breath.

"I'm Alec." He offered, holding his hand out to her. She didn't take her eyes off his face, and looked as if she was about to cry. Seeing that she wasn't going to reciprocate the gesture, he retracted his hand awkwardly.

"I'm Sketchy, this is Original Cindy," the guy offered pointing to himself and the girl from before. "Welcome to Seattle Public." Alec nodded and smiled at Sketchy, he was going to like Sketchy. Looking at Original Cindy he smiled a smile that always made the girls swoon. Instead she just raised an eyebrow as if saying 'That won't work, pretty boy.'

"Nice to meet you both, and you are?" He enquired looking at Max.

"Max, I'm Max," she replied in the whispered voice. Looking at her closer, he felt as if he had met her before. Something about her felt familiar, familiar in a sense that they knew each other.

Manticore. That's where he knew her from, he was sure of it. Deciding to test his theory, he whispered, "The fields." Her eyes told him everything as they grew wide and mouth opened slightly.


	4. The Fields

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons

_Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons._

Orphan Past

Alec couldn't stop thinking about Max. She called him 'Ben.' She also was from Manticore. Thinking about these two factors made it next to impossible to listen to what the teacher was saying. He had never met anyone from Manticore outside being at Manticore. He had left the only a month before the investigation had started. He was of age and they couldn't keep him, plus he didn't seem to be a hazard to their precious little world. He always had been an obedient ward, never causing a problem. To tell the truth he had always been too scared to anything but what he was told. The Fields, being a prime example; fear.

The Fields, as all the wards learned, was the large open field on Manticore property that was over grown with grass and weeds. When someone had gone against the code, the wards that were suspected would be released into it to run and hide. The handlers, or supervisors, would roam the fields and slowly catch every single on of them and take them to a part were it was mowed down into a nice sized circle. There each ward was tortured to reveal the guilty person. The rest of the wards had to "sit", or be restrained more like, and watch each torture happen until someone would give. It that happened then the guilty person and the revealer were tortured some more and then thrown in the hole, or the Pit, as many of the wards nicknamed it. It was where the anomalies were stashed, the wards who couldn't be trusted to stay quiet when they came of age. This was to show you what would happen if you didn't straighten up.

Aside from the Fields, there were many other methods and teaching "obedience." Sick and twisted methods that sometimes made fellow wards "disappear." Of course this was just whisper during bunk time, "Alice disappeared today after drills. Evan disappeared after bunk last night." But when the whispers reached the handlers, they would always make a big announcement, "Alice was adopted last week by a family. Evan was reunited with his maternal grandparents." To celebrate this occasion, every ward would clap in "joy" for their fellow wards finding a family.

Shaking his head, Alec made himself stop thinking about Manticore. Instead he made himself start to focus on getting ready for morning classes. Maybe he would run into Max. He was intrigued with her, shit, he was never gonna be ready for class.


	5. Lucky

_Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons._

Orphan Past

The next day, Alec and Max never saw each other, not even at lunch. It seemed fate was playing a horrible game of cat and mouse to tease them, while they both had millions of questions for each other. They were Manticore, and the only ones that they knew personally.

That was how school was for the next few days until Friday rolled around. Alec wanted to see her so he waited after school by his motorcycle. He sat atop his bike and watched as every single female left the school building. Luckily Max exited pretty fast and when he yelled her name she skidded to halt and looked for the source. When she spotted him she stayed still for a few moments before she walked over to him, "I have questions for you."

"Right back at you," he replied handing her his passenger helmet. She looked at it as if it was a foreign object before she took it and attached it to her head. Skidding out of the parking lot, Alec headed to his apartment with Max wondering what the hell she was doing getting on a motorcycle with a strange guy. _'A strange guy who happens to know more about you then any of your friends combined. He's Manticore.'_ She thought to her self as she held onto his waist as he weaved in, out, and around cars and objects before he arrived at a 4 story building that old looking. "Come-on," he instructed cocking his head to the tall narrow green door in the corner of the building. Following him inside, they walked past a rout iron gated lift and went straight up 3 flights of stairs and walked to end of the narrow hall where the door read 494 in tarnished brass numbers.

Alec's apartment was small, but enough for one person and had yet to truly leave the 60-70's. The walls were various shades of green wallpaper and most of the furniture was built into the wall. Shelves, tables, even a bench and table in the kitchen were built from the wall. "Cozy," she commented walking into the living room. The apartment itself looked as if it was a big circle.

"It's better than my previous accommodations," he said flippantly, dumping his helmet on the built in counter that separated the kitchen from the living room he turned around and looked at Max. "Drink?"

"Nah."

"Questions?"

"How did you get out?"

"Straight to the point, I like that in a girl. I was released when I turned 18. I had a good record so I wasn't a threat. You?"

"I escaped."

"Ah, you were one of them. By the way thanks, we were in the fields for weeks. Especially. Especially the twins."

"What?"

"You didn't know? Manticore had a special place for multiples. No one was at Manticore unless they had a twin or more. The siblings of the escapees got to live in the fields for a while. It was to make sure we didn't think the same way." This was news to Max.

"What was your designated number?"

"Ah the precious numbers, not names, we had. I was 494." That was eerie, his address numbers flashed in her mind. "Creepy I know, yours?"

"452."

"_State your designation!" The Handler shouted in the shaking child's face._

"_115 s-s-sir," the child shook, and it wasn't from the freezing weather that they were enduring._

"_Did you just stutter!" No question. The Handler looked straight into the frightened child and saw the fear. Quickly, the handler raised his hand and backhanded the child to the ground. Blood spurted from the child's nose and mouth as they fell back onto the ground. "You aren't allowed to stutter, maggot!"_

"_You all have been designated an number, remember this number as all times, or you will be punished." His voice held no room for questions. "Forget your names that you once had, they are inadequate and pointless, you don't deserve a name, only a number of the masses. Is that clear?" Every adolescent in the room responded 'yes sir' in unison. He smiled, maliciously, at this. _

"_I want 494, 600, 543, 747, 942, 184, 330, 849, 203, 490, and 543! NOW!" Each child with one of those numbers scurried to the front of the mess hall and stood straight in front of the row of handlers. "As all of you have most likely learned, 12 wards escaped last night, they are their siblings! Because of their sibling's faults, they will be punished, as will all of you! You 12 to the fields! The rest, finish eating a report to the lines!" With that a handler grabbed a child and dragged them out of the room. No one else moved until they were once again alone with the mess hall attendants._

"Alec?" Max's voice broke through his thoughts and he suddenly was back in his apartment with a fellow Manticora-ian sitting across from him. "Who got the feds in on Manticore?" Alec looked away.

"I don't know, I just found out through the media."

"What happened after we left?"

"Things got harder and stricter, the handlers became more paranoid and brutal. In the last years I was there Lydecker got replaced by Madam X, as we all called her."

"Renfro?"

"That'd be her. She was just as sick and twisted as Lydecker, sometimes worse." Alec watched as this information processed through Max's mind. "Why did you call me 'Ben' that day?"

"Ben was one of my room mates at Manticore. He was one of the escapees with me." Max wrapped her arms around self and walked over to the big window that was in the living room. "I'm guessing he was your twin brother, that's why I called you 'Ben' that day."

"So where is he?" Max had dreaded this question being asked.

"He's died a year ago." By reading Max's body language, Alec could tell she didn't want to talk about his twin, and he would respect that until a later date. "So how long you been out?"

"A month before the feds started investigating, I was released because of my age. I had a good record so I was deemed trustworthy enough to be released and not leak out the precious secrets that were hidden within those walls." This time Max read Alec's body language and saw that there was more to the story. "I was lucky." Alec pushed off the counter he was leaning against and stood up straighter. They were at a stand still.


	6. Lola and Biggs

_Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons._

Orphan Past

After that day in his apartment, Alec rarely had a one-on-one conversation with Max. As an un-mentioned agreement, neither of them brought up what they talked about that day, nor did they ever discuss Manticore or their memories of the place. And Alec himself was fine with that and was able to live with this agreement. Going to school and working together at a local messenger business, they became friends. Not the type with a friends like they both shared with Sketchy or O.C. but they were friends, who shared a dark secret in the past. Thankfully Sketchy or O.C. never pushed about he himself or his past, or the fact that he was identical to Max's brother. Others at their school didn't really question it either, and that in it self was a blessing.

3 months after settling into his life in Seattle and at Seattle Public High School, Alec got another shock of his life, and that agreement that was unspoken suddenly going to be unbroken. Fellow Manticorians, as he had dubbed his fellow Manticore mates, had enrolled at Seattle Public and other schools in the area. "Max!" He shouted over the hussle and bussle of the high school halls. Turning around, Max saw Alec waving her down, and something about the way he looked told her he didn't need help getting out of trouble with some girl he finessed his way into her pants.

"Whats up?" She asked reaching her friend.

"Manticore," was all he said in a hushed tone as he grasped her upper arm and ushered to the courtyard away from listening ears and bumping bodies.

"What?" Max had an alarmed look on her face.

"I was just in the office, 6 new students just enrolled here and they are Manticore. I saw 4 of them."

"How do you know?" Alec took his hand lightly ran over the back of her neck, barcode. Another way Manticore branded their wards, and another thing she and Alec never talked about. "They have them?"

"Yeah," Alec nodded as he withdrew his hand from her neck. It was kind of awkward. They had never been touchy feely, except for Max slapping him for doing or saying something stupid. That was about the extent of their physically relationship.

"Do you know them?"

"Not personally. I recognize them from Manti- from "home."" He corrected as some students walked by and looked weird at them. They were trying to see what they were talking about. Max caught the drift and nodded. This was huge, first Ben and Alec, now more. Since Alec knew them, it was likely she didn't know them, but still they were Manticore; more people who knew, or understood what she and Alec had been through.

"Well, lets go introduce ourselves," Max was about to walk back into the school when Alec once again grabbed her arms.

"One more thing I need to mention, after you 12 escaped, and things got harder, we were told to hate you. And a lot of wards from Manticore did and likely still do."

"Why?"

"Because you guys got out and we were left with the aftermath of rage and torture from Lydecker and the handlers. Things got worse as the years went on, so don't expect a big open arm hug from these guys." Nodding her head ever so slightly, Max walked back into the school with Alec. As fate would have it, immediately two of the new students walked by the due, oblivious to them as they tried to find their way around the school.

"Biggs?" Alec said out loud, one of the two, a guy, turned around at the name. Seeing the source of his name being said, Biggs' face broke out into a huge grin.

"Alec!" The laughed and embraced each other in a hug and slap on the back. "I didn't know you were here in Seattle, last I heard you were still in New York!" Biggs commented.

"I came here bout 3 months ago, hoped I'd find some familiar faces floating around. Where have you been?"

"Was in Cali for awhile, but like you, decided to head back here to find some familiar faces." Biggs finally noticed that Alec wasn't alone, "who's this?" Biggs asked finally realizing his old friend wasn't alone.

"Biggs this is Max, Max my friend Biggs we were roommates at Manticore." Max held out her hand to Biggs, while Biggs looked shocked that Alec was open about the past with this girl. "She's Manticore," Alec added simply finally looking at Biggs' companion. "Lola?" The girl was grinning widely and jumped Alec. Alec was a few moments late in reaction but eventually returned the hug.

"Wondering when you were going to notice me you big oaf!" Lola chastised when she and Alec pulled apart. Looking at Alec's face, Max saw that there was history with these two, and she felt herself resent that. Why she did, she had no clue. "I'm Lola, nice to meet you." Lola held out her hand to the quiet companion of Alec's.

"Max." She offered simply. "So where you guys headed?"

"English room 104," Lola read off her paper.

"History room 205," Biggs said at the same time, this was just great, Lola had English with Max.

"Max don't you have English there?" Alec asked, oblivious too the immediate dislike between the girls. Yes, Lola held resentment to Max, and it seemed that both girls knew it too.

"Yeah, I'll show you the way," Max offered sweetly, gritting her teeth. Lola smiled at Max and was ready to follow her when she first pulled Alec into a big hug again.

"Great seeing ya smart-ass!" With that the girls were off to English, trying not to kill each other.

Alec showed Biggs to his history class, the entire way the two catching up on the time spent apart or away from Manticore. At the end of the day when Max went to meet up O.C. she saw her friend walking to Alec, Biggs, and Lola. Taking in a deep, calming breath she walked up to the group. "Hey Maxie!" Alec greeted, only to get punched in the arm by Max, "What was that for?"

"Don't call me that!" She reprimanded, feeling at ease going through their daily, almost hourly routine. Alec just grinned cheekily. "So you guys wanna meet up at Crash?"

"What's Crash?" Lola enquired, to Alec.

"It's a local pub hang out that we all hang at after work. You guys should definitely meet us there, around 5?" Biggs and Lola nodded. "Where you guys staying right now?"

"We're sharing an apartment about 5 blocks from here, we need to get some jobs soon though." Biggs replied making a face.

"Normal's lookin' for some more dead beats," O.C. offered causing Biggs and Lola to look offended, "His words. Some girls quite the other day because of "differences" that couldn't be settled," O.C. explained looking pointedly at Alec who just pulled a completely believable face of innocence.

"Why O.C. are you insinuating something?" Alec asked while acting offended. O.C. just raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, "Time to go!" When she got that look, Alec knew to run. He felt like keeping all his body parts. "You guys wanna follow me to Jam Pony?" Biggs and Lola nodded.

"So Max you gonna let your girl in on the tension between you and that fine honey?" O.C. asked as the biked to Jam Pony. Max just continued to look straight ahead. "Max."

"Nothing! I don't even know her," Max answered, unconvincingly.

"You so wound up about pretty boy's little Lola for it to be nothing," Cindy commented as they walked down the ramp of Jam Pony.

"Well, well, well, Missy-miss decided to grace us with her presence!" Normal shouted seeing the duo.

"Can it Normal and give me some packages." Max quipped not wanting to hear today's ranting a raving.


	7. Lola In the Way

_Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons._

* * *

**Past Orphan**

* * *

Because Alec was Normal's perfect employee and golden boy, Biggs and Lola sure enough got jobs with Max and O.C. at Jam Pony, much to Max's dismay. She however never voiced her dislike for the tall exotic girl from Manticore, to anyone, just to her self. To herself enough to make her think she was going crazy from all the one-on-one personal conversations she was having. Couldn't be healthy, but none the less Max continued to talking her self crazy. "Stupid," she muttered looking at the scene before her. Biggs was talking to Alec…and Lola. Biggs was leaning against a support poll while Alec stood in front of his friend with Lola under his arm. This was a common occurrence for Max, and luckily no one ever heard here...that she knew of anyway.

* * *

A few months went by without little incident for Max or Alec. After Biggs and Lola came to Seattle Public, a few others from the orphanage or 'home' as they called it when people were around. Max had an instant connection with Joshua, a guy who had been on of the first at the orphanage. It was an instant sibling connection there, similar to what she had with her room mates that had escaped with her. Joshua had a younger brother, Issac who was very quiet and didn't talk much. Other than them, the group didn't really know the others who arrived from Manticore, but had their presence known to them. In a way they were family, survivors of a brutal past, but family none the less.

"Boo you good?" Cindy asked as she waved her hand in front of Max's blank face. Max had been staring off into space for awhile now, and it was starting to scare Cindy.

"Huh? Oh yeah, fine..." Max jolted but then trailed off. Deciding to see what the cause of this was, the Original one followed her friends eyesight all the way to the lockers where Lola and Alec stood talking and laughing. Smiling bumping her hip against Max, Cindy stared at Max with the 'look' as Alec called it. The look that Cindy wore when she knew something was going on and you wouldn't escape until you spilled your guts to her. No escape, including Max. "It's nothing, stop looking at me."

* * *

"Now you know you're gonna come correct on that sooner or later, so how bout sooner than later?" Cindy cocked her eye brow up and continued with her look. "You like him don't you? Your boy."

"What?! No, he's not my boy!"

"That's right because you think he's Lola's boy, girl you got it baaad," Cindy shook her head laughing.

"That is totally not true!" Max protested a little too quickly, confirming everything O.C. all ready knew. Max looked out of the corner of her eyes and saw her friends look and sighed in defeat "There's just something I don't like about Lola, thats all," she said weakly.

"What isn't there to like about here? I see a lot to like about her," commented looking the girl in question up and down.

"Yeah you would, traitor," Max muttered with a pretend pout that caused Cindy to laugh.

"You know you'll always be my number one boo," wrapping her arm around Max's shoulders, "but I think you need to figure that little head of yours out and realize that you got the hots for Alec, burnin' hots." With that Cindy walked over to Alec and Lola and started to talk to them. Max just scowled at the group, and scowled more inside while cursing herself for feeling the way she was feeling. Even though she really had no idea what she was feeling.

"Hey you guys wanna head to Crash?" Biggs asked as everyone un-loaded their gear into their lockers. A course of positive replies came. Max and Cindy walked up after this, "you wanna head to crash with us?"

"Nah, I think I'm gonna head home," Max excused as everyone headed out of the Jam Pony building. Waving goodbye Max headed the opposite way of Crash, towards her apartment.

"Hey guys I'll catch up with you later. Hey Max!" Alec yelled towards her retreating back. Looking back Max saw Alec jogging her way, "wanna hang out for awhile?" He asked when reaching her. They hadn't really hung out together for awhile, at least not without more people with them.

"Sure, yours or mine?"

"Uh, if you wanna drink, the my place," Alec decided smirking. Smiling Max nodded and the two took off together.

"So what's new with you Maxie?" Alec asked as he pulled out the alcohol and set it down in front of his couch.

"Nothing, you?"

"Uh, this and that. I'm thinking about hooking up with this girl I know," he said diverting his attention to the drinks. Max felt a pang shoot through her and she pushed back. Nodding she chugged a good portion of her drink down.

"Really? Someone I know?"

"Yeah, you could say that." He replied, still not looking at her. As he continued to do this, it made Max dread who it was. _'Prolly Lola, that's why they've been so buddy buddy lately.' _She thought bitterly. "So you seeing anyone or interested?"

"Nope, no one at all," she quipped while the voices at the back of her mind screamed 'liar' at her. Alec looked at her for a moment, hearing this made him curse himself. "Who's the lucky girlfriend to be? Lola?" Alec looked confused for a moment before just shrugging his shoulders like it was nothing. "It is isn't?" '_Please say no, please say-'_

"Yeah, we decided it'd be fun to reconcile."

"Reconcile?"

"Yeah, back at Manticore we fooled around a little. Now that we're out and free we decided to try it again." Pursing her lips Max finished her drink.

"I'm gonna head out, later."

"Already?"

"Yeah, I'm beat. Good luck with Lola," she said quickly before she exited the apartment. Alec just sat where he was for a few moments just staring at his apartment door that Max had disappeared behind. _'Well that wen well,'_ he thought cynically.

* * *

The next day and every day that followed that night, Max seemed to be on edge with Alec. Lashing out on him more than their usual lashing and fighting. Now it had a venom to back it and it made their friends on edge to be around them. True to his word, Alec was around Lola and with her more and more, causing the venom to be more vicious, which caused Alec to pull away from Max and be distant when she was around. This hurt her more, but refused to see that she and her actions were to blame for this. In turn she started hanging around a local billionaire turned journalist, Logan Cale, helping with his get information for pieces he was working on. As time was spent between the two, Max felt as if she was falling for him, but they weren't "like that" as she explained when her friends inquired about them

"Why do you put up with her?" Lola asked as she and Alec road on their bikes to deliver.

"What are you talkin' bout?" Alec asked avoiding to acknowledge anything.

"I don't know, some familiar brunette who has her claws out for blood, your blood. She treats you like shit and you take it, why?"

"I don't know, that's just Maxie," he said shrugging his shoulders, trying to hide how it really effected him. This caused Lola to suddenly halt her bike, which caught her companions attention.

"That's a load of bullshit Alec, and you know it! After everything you've done, she treats you like shit and that's not right. But what doesn't help the situation is you, you let her do it and that's just down right pathetic." Lola sneered shaking her head, the look on her face made Alec duck his head. She always had that effect on him, she was a lot like Cindy in that sense. If they didn't agree on something that you were doing or thinking they made it known and made you feel like shit for even thinking of it. The fact he had known Lola for years didn't help. "Alec you did something major, something that you deserve credit for! Ok I get staying out of the spot light world wide, but what about your friends? Biggs and me known, no one else. Why not tell Max?" When Lola saw that Alec wasn't going to answer her or even look at her, she shook her head with a snort and took off on her bike past him. Not giving another look, she wanted her current opinion on him loud and clear.

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_A.N - Tell me what you think!_


	8. Kidnapped and Kissed

_Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons.

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_Past Orphan

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_A.N: Tell me what you think, please!_

_

* * *

_After Lola confronted Alec about her opinion of the "situation" she decided to take the matter into her own hands. Literally. The day finally came when she waited outside of the school, for Max. When Max waltzed out, Lola sided up to her and grabbed her arm. "You and I are going to take a ride." Max didn't have a chance to react before the other girl opened her car door and closed it in her face, with her inside the car. Lola started moving the car into drive and taking off and neck breaking speed.

"What the fuck are you doing! Are you nuts!" Max yelled as Lola weaved in and out of cars. Lola wasn't fazed at all by the speed or Max's uneasiness of her driving. After a few minutes of driving, they were outside the city and Lola suddenly pulled into a clearing off the road. When the car jerked to a sudden, sliding, stop, Max jumped out of the car as if it was diseased. Lola, on the other hand, calmly turned the car off and proceeded to get out. "ARE YOU NUTS?!" Max shouted at the un-fazed girl.

"Are you ready to wise up, niner?"

"Niner? What?"

"Niner – a little nick-name we all gave you escapees back at Manticore. Now listen up time get your head out of your ass and look at the obvious."

"What are you talking about."

"I'm talking about Alec."

"What?"

"He wasn't Manticore's little bitch, he was quite the opposite." Lola crossed her arms and stared at Max, waiting for the obvious to sink in. "How do you think the feds took down Manticore?"

"I don't know, I never knew. When I asked Alec, he said he wasn't there at the time so he didn't know."

"And how did Alec say he got out of Manticore?"

"Released because of age and clean record…why?" Lola started laughing at this statement, which confused Max immensely.

"Released because of age and clean record, are you serious! That is the funniest thing I've ever heard!"

"What…"

"Alec was Manticore's poster child, aside from his twin brother being an escapee, yes. But when he got older, he got bolder and more rebellious. He became friends with a girl that worked as a maid in Manticore, and when the handlers found out, they took care of business, with her and him. After that they watched him like a hawk, and somehow he got out."

"Got out?"

"Got out. He slowly broke into Renfro's office and stole all documents of all the past wards; "adoptions" lists and notes, letters about everything. When he had everything, he went to the feds, Alec took down Manticore." This was not what Max was expecting to hear. "When Biggs said last he had heard Alec was in New York, he was referring to when Alec was placed in protective custody until everything was executed and taken care of." Max just stared at Lola, trying to take in everything she had just been told.

"Alec took down Manticore?" It couldn't sink in; happy go lucky psychopathic Alec did something so major?

"Yeah, and now that you know you can understand when you make comments that he's worthless, I get a little pissed."

"Sorry to bother your boyfriend." Max muttered not looking at Lola, she couldn't.

"Yeah another thing," with that Lola walked up to Max and grabbed her face, and planted a big kiss on her lips, firmly. "Alec is not my type." Max's eyes were wide as saucers and her body was frozen. "Not understand? * laughs * Let me put it this way, Cindy or you would be my first choice." That was another thing Max didn't see coming her way.

"But Alec said that you guys…"

"We messed around at Manticore when the handlers weren't looking. We were horny teenagers and experimenting. After some messing around I found that three legs weren't my thing." Lola shrugged her shoulders as if it was no big deal or anything new. To her maybe it wasn't, but to Max it was major brand new news. Alec was so going to pay. "Alec insinuated we were an item didn't he?" Max nodded, "We aren't and never were. He likes you and said that to get a rise out of you. You have Logan, why I don't know, but Alec hates him. Understandably."

* * *

Max stood outside Alec's door for what seemed like forever. After what seemed like hours, but was only 10 minutes at most, she knocked on the door and waited. Seconds later she heard Alec yell a 'come in,' and she did. But when she did she didn't seem him, or at least not at first. He walked out a few moments later wearing nothing but a blue towel and soaking wet. "Oh, sorry," she diverted her eyes, when what she really wanted to do was look. Alec laughed a little and walked to his bedroom, quickly. Moments later he was dressed in some jeans and pulling on a t-shirt as he walked back out. By then Max had worked her way to his living room window and was staring at her hands like something was bothering.

"So what's up?" Alec asked after his shirt was on and his body was covered from view.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you about what? Going to have to be more specific." Alec furrowed his brow; Max was acting out of character.

"About Manticore." This was getting more confusing by each vague sentence.

"Um, Maxie I did tell you about Manticore. Remember we first met we had that nice talk in here, then awhile later we talked about my-your- we talked about Ben and things we remembered."

"I know, and I'm talking about that. I'm talking about you taking down Manticore with the feds." Alec froze and eyes widened, how did she find out. "Lola cornered me today and told me pretty much everything, at least the basics. I think she kept most of the private stuff to her self." Max hadn't looked at Alec yet, but she could feel him looking at her. "Why didn't you tell me when I told you about Ben?"

"I don't know." He didn't, sure he had been tempted many times, especially that night she told him about their in-common brother, but he had refrained when he had seen what Manticore had already done, it didn't need to be dredged up anymore than it had that night. "I was going to, but after you told me about Ben I felt there was too much already said that night. Telling you…I don't know." Rubbing his neck, he diverted his sight to the scarred wood floor. Max nodded, biting her lip she finally looked up see him staring at the ground and rubbing his neck. A habit they both had when it came to thinking about Manticore. It was probably because of the barcodes they still had etched in their skin.

"Why did you lead me to believe you and Lola were an-"

"An item? I don't know," Alec brushed the subject off by walking into the his kitchen to find something to distract himself.

"Bullshit," Max spat walking towards the kitchen. Alec still didn't look at her

"What do you want me to say Max? Huh? What?"

"The truth for once!"

"Fine yes I took Manticore down, I took them down because they killed the first person I ever truly cared about! They found her bones buried in the fields along with several kids, I was there; I got to show them where things happened and were to find things! Lola isn't my girlfriend and never was, I insinuated otherwise to piss you off, to get a rise out of you I don't know! I just wanted to do something to get some kind of reaction out of you because all you do lately is live and breath Logan and frankly it was pissing me off!" With each sentence Alec had stepped closer to Max until she was backed into the nearest wall and they were sharing oxygen. When he stopped, the both realized their proximity.

For the second time that day, Max got kissed, only this time it was by someone she wanted to be kissed by. When Alec pulled away they stared at each other for a split second before they gravitated to each other again. They probably would've gone further if Biggs, O.C. and Lola didn't walk through the front door and find them in a compromising position. That position being Max hiked up the wall, arms and legs around Alec and him supporting her. "Uh, bad timing?" Lola asked trying to laugh at the deer-caught-in-head-lights looks. "We'll just come back, later…much, much later." The trio backed out, snickering, and closed the door firmly.

"Don't forget protection! Ouch!" They heard Biggs yell from the other side of the door.

With the mood killed, Alec let Max slid down to her feet and suddenly felt very awkward. Max pulled her shirt down that had hiked as she had slid down, and looked everywhere but Alec. "I'm going to go," and she quickly exited the apartment. Leaving Alec to stand staring at the wall trying to calm the raging emotions inside of him.

* * *

The next day at school, Max barely acknowledge him the entire day, and it pissed him off to no end. Deciding he wasn't going to let her decide for the both of them, he was going to corner him. Whether that would be hazardous to his health, he wasn't sure, but at least he could say he tried.

When classes were done for the day, Alec rushed out of the building waited by his bike; a lot like the day he and Max became friends. When she came out she didn't see him, too lost in her thoughts. She however did see him when he grabbed her arm and swung her in between him and his bike. "Alec what the hell?"

"This is the only way I was going to get you to talk to me." He stated simply, still holding her arm, "Now you going to explain to me why you ran out of apartment like a bat of hell, and why you've done everything possible to not acknowledge me all day?"

"I haven't."

"Keep telling yourself that, but lying to yourself isn't healthy. Now wanna tell me the truth? Weren't you yesterday yelling at me for not telling you the truth? Let's not be hypocritical now, Maxie."

"Don't-"

"Call you Maxie, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, stop avoiding the questions, Maxie."

"I-"

"Ah fuck it," with that Alec leaned down and kissed her firmly on the mouth. Max pulled him to her, while students around them sent out whistles and catcalls at the two. "You aren't going to go running are you?" He whispered when they came up for air. Max just smiled and pulled him down for a kiss.


	9. Escape to Heal

_Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons.

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_Past Orphan

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_A.N: Tell me what you think, please!_

_

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_"_Tonight. We leave tonight!"_

* * *

"_You little piece of shit!" The Handler yelled as he recovered from the taser shock. The "piece of shit" in question was Eve and she didn't look scared. Max watched in slow motion as he pulled out a gun and got ready to aim at her sister, but quickly doubled over when Zack kicked him in the lower stomach, that was when they all scrambled to escape._

_When they reached the long halls, it seemed that Handlers were coming from every which way. "Scatter!" One of her siblings shouted, and they did. _

_

* * *

_"_Tell me 494, do you recognize this girl?" Renfro held up a picture to him, it was Rachel. When he didn't say anything, Renfro slammed the picture on her desk with a resounding thud and smiled a crooked, evil smile. "Well I guess the question should be, did you know her." When his eyes grew wide at that her smile was bigger, more evil. "She went buh-bye. Take him, fix him." He fought against the Handlers as they dragged him out of the office and down the tiled halls and wooden stairs. By time they reached the basement or Re-Indoctrination Room, he was exhausted, bloody and bruised, but still fighting. The Handlers just laughed as he struggled against his bonds when they successfully chained him to a cold, wet cement wall. The room was dark, but he could see their eyes almost glow with their evil intentions. The ones in the book of Manticore, and the ones in their own book._

_

* * *

"You're nuts!" He was scolded as he returned to his bunk for the night. Under his shirt where more files, almost all of the ones he needed._

_"Why are you risking it?" She asked._

_"To live," he said simply before turning over and going to sleep. Tomorrow was another day to survive and win._

_

* * *

"In breaking news, Manticore Orphanage has been put under investigation. Reports came out late last night when a raid by federal agents swarmed the grounds of the old orphanage. We'll go to Logan Cale for more information. Logan?"_

"_Yes, one of the oldest orphanages in America has been taken over and under the control of federal agents. There is speculation of what has lead to this event many un-answered questions. What I do know is that more than 1,200, underage children were removed from the premises while an unknown amount of teens and young adults, wards of the orphanage, were also removed. Both groups were taken to un-known places until further notice. Following the removal of children several works were escorted from the premises in federal agent cars and taken to holding cells in an unknown location. Until we know more, back to you."_

_She stood still and stared at the television before her. Not sure what to think of the report. A lonesome tear slipped down her cheek as the memories began to assault her._

_

* * *

**ORPHANAGE: TORTURED, MURDERED AND EXPERIEMENTED ON WARDS IN CARE**_

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_"Breaking news: human remains were found on the land of Manticore Orphanage. The total found, as of now, is well over 200. All of the remains are of young children from toddlers to around the age of 10. Cadaver dogs were let loose on the property this morning and excavation began shortly after wards..."_

* * *

_"Today the trial begins in the case of Manticore Orphanage employees, known as "Handlers" who have been accused of not only torturing and committing illegal and unethical experiments, but also murder of more than 2,000 children who were kept as wards at the orphanage. As been reported previously, the director of the Orphanage,Dr. Elizabeth Renfro who has been dubbed "Madam X" was shot and killed when resisting arrest and attacked federal agents on the night of __September 28__th__. Information from her personal files at her office at the orphanage and her own home hold a lot of incriminating evidence that will be used in today's trial..."_

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* * *

It's over, or maybe it was the beginning. He wasn't sure. Kicking some loose dirt on the ground, he stared at the old building in front of him. No longer was it his prison, no longer would live tomorrow to survive and win. He was free from the the walls of Manticore Orphanage, but fare from free from his memories and knowledge of the place. Spitting on the over grown grass he took one last look of the building before walking away to his bike and leaving the past behind._

_

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It was gone, the thing she had been running from for so long was gone. Now it was time to heal._


	10. Saying Goodbye and Hello

_Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons.

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_Past Orphan

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_A.N: Tell me what you think, please!_

_

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_Almost 10 years since Manticore disappeared from existence, but for them it seemed like just yesterday. She figured it would always be that way, but at least they always knew that at the end of the day, they were free and Manticore wouldn't ever win or rule over them again. Kneeling down, she pushed away the ivy that had grown over the stone in front of her. "Hey, sorry I haven't visited in awhile, been learning to live without Manticore." She whispered, "We won." Tracing the letter carving in the stone, something finally released inside of her. He was free now too. "I finally finished you letters. Took me awhile, but I did it. I never blamed you for anything, even after you left me." Feeling tears well up she had to pause to take in a deep breath, "I miss you Ben, and I love you. I hope you are happy wherever you are now, free where they can't touch you." Leaning forward she lightly kissed the bared stone that said, 'Ben.' Standing up she smiled, and walked away. Walked away from the pain she had carried for so long, but didn't need to anymore.

The ground was cool under him, but he didn't really care. He just stared at the headstone, simple, but so prominent. Prominent to him anyways, "I'm sorry Rachel. I'm sorry that I was weak then and couldn't protect you." Biting his lip he caught himself almost rubbing his neck, "I'm sorry I never came to see you, but I was scared. I met someone, she's Manticore, and she puts up with me. But I think you already know all that, don't you? You always had a way of knowing things, and since you're well…I don't know free, would be the word, you can see anything and everything." Taking a deep breath, "I came to say sorry and good bye. I'm finally, and truly, free now." Standing up he turned to find her smiling at him. "Hey you," he greeted walking up to her. Lightly kissing her, he rested his hand on her stomach, "Ready to go?"

"Yep, I've said my peace, you?" He nodded, taking her hand into his they walked out of the cemetery for the Manticore Orphanage victims. Looking back he saw the thousands of stones lined up with simple numbers carved into the stones. The ones who hadn't survived and had never received names, just numbers. "You ok?"

"Yeah, just wondering how we're going to explain our child hoods to our baby." He said rubbing her protruding belly.

"We'll think of something that will tie them over for the first years." She said smiling when she felt the baby kick his hand. Alec smiled and kissed her again.

"I love you Maxie, ouch!" As said her name she, out of habit or so she claimed, smacked him outside the head.

"Shut up and open the door for me," she laughed. Bowing like a butler he opened the car door and helped sit comfortably inside.

After that day in front of the high school, they had cemented their lives together. After high school, they went on to college and slowly learned how to live a life outside of Manticore and being an orphan. Now almost 10 years of knowing each other, they were married and soon to be parents of a baby that would be born into a loving family. They weren't perfect, far from it. But they were perfect for each other, and that was all that counted.

The Beginning.


End file.
